Intrigue
by Chokari
Summary: Stella Burnside is an ex-chief investigator who decides to move to Tashmore Lake after the untimely death of her last relative in New York City. Wanting to escape her bad memories, she meets Mort Rainey who triggers her strong curiosity and draws her in.
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Note:** Yeah, first "Secret Window" fanfic! Be nice, please.  ;;; Anyway, I'd like to basically acknowledge my bestest cousin and friend for taking the time out to read this and giving my TONS of ideas that would have probably taken me MONTHS to come up with, so thank you sooo much and love you!!

This is a really quick character description of my main character just in case it's too confusing when I write it: Aya Brea from "Parasite Eve" with black hair and dark blue eyes. (Note that it's the first one, not the second PE)  Yep, that's it, lol. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I didn't write "Secret Window" and I don't have any kind of possession over Johnny Depp as much as I wish I did… but Stella Burnside is completely mine.

Intrigue

"Secret Window" fic

Chapter One

Stella Burnside

Stella ran her milky white hand through her medium-length black hair.  She played around with her long bangs for a moment, trying to remember if she had forgotten anything.  The dull and worn cardboard boxes were organized by their little yellow labels against the empty walls of Stella's year-old apartment.   Ever since her last relative, Amy, had passed away, she felt that New York City had nothing left for her.  Stella had aided the investigation of her deceased cousin who had mysteriously been murdered, but none of the townspeople would speak up.  There was a secret that they were hiding, and Stella had to get to the bottom of it.  Before she could announce her plan of a deeper investigation, the case was closed and was never to be touched again for a reason that Stella would never know.

Once the case was closed, Stella decided to resign from her position as chief investigator and reside at a lake-side cabin at Tashmore Lake, where Amy had allegedly been murdered.  Even though Stella knew of this, she liked the town very much and the area.  It was quiet, peaceful and somewhere she wouldn't be bothered by past memories and most of all work.  She took up a writing contract with a publishing company and decided to waste the rest of her years as a writer and perhaps write detective stories based on her experience as an investigator.  It was only a rough idea to other people, but to Stella it seemed fool-proof and solid enough for her to follow up on.

"Everything ready?" her five-year long partner, Ben, asked stepping through the opened front door. 

Looking around at the bare peach colored walls, she nodded.  "Yeah, I'm ready."

Ben nodded and helped her with the larger boxes before going for the smaller ones.  Moving seemed to be the best idea to Stella, but she still felt an awkward emptiness inside of her as she packed each box away into the trunk of her Toyota Avalon.  Just like to every other person who had experienced moving, it felt like she was leaving a piece of herself behind.  She had only lived in that apartment for a year since she had lived with Amy until she married Mort Rainey, the acclaimed writer.  She moved out of Amy's house and bought an apartment that she decorated and painted herself.  It was like her cherished child… but now it was empty and abandoned.  It was ready to be bought by a similar affectionate owner or an illegal drug dealer who would smear sludge and dirt across its perfectly painted walls.  Either way, Stella wouldn't know the future of her cherished home, but she still closed the door on the beloved home.

"Are you sure about this, Stella?"  Ben asked as he opened the door to the driver's seat for her.

"Yeah, I'm really sure about this," Stella assured and sat in the driver's seat.

"Take care of yourself… and be sure to visit often," Ben said as he closed the door for her.

"Don't worry, I will," Stella assured once again and started up the engine.

"Bye Stella."  Ben stepped away from the car.

Stella smiled sadly, waved to Ben, and said solemnly, "See you around, Ben."

She pulled out of the parking lot of the apartment building, and sped off into the distance.  The wind blew in fiercely from the opened window and tossed Stella's hair around messily.  She could see Ben's tall figure becoming smaller and smaller in her rear view mirror as she continued toward her destination. 

The car sped through highways and countryside as dark grey storm clouds gathered in the sky.  Heavy rain drops beat against Stella's wind shield and soaked the tips of her hair.  She rolled her window up and continued on driving in silence.  She listened to the rain dropping heavily against her car and it seemed as if they were beating against her from the inside as well.  The emptiness inside of her was slipping away slowly as she shut out the memories she had back there and how they were shattered so easily.

_You'll be fine, _Stella assured herself as the familiar forest scenery of Tashmore Lake came into view.  

As she came closer to the lake, she could imagine the investigation that had taken place clearly in her mind like it had just happened yesterday.  She could see another house close to her own.  Stella had bought the lake-side cabin from her great aunt who had no use for it since a stroke had rendered her legs useless.  No one had ever told her she'd have a neighbor, the idea was soon swept away as she pulled up to the cabin.  The rain was beating down hard and she had so much to lug in and out.  She decided to leave the unpacking to tomorrow and grabbed her purse to make a run for it into the cabin.  The rain still did a good job of soaking her through despite how fast she ran. She looked around the dark cabin and was very pleased with what she had spent her money on.

The cabin was very handsome and convenient for Stella.  It was a good size with two floors.  The first floor had a roomy living room already set with comfortable furniture and fireplace.  The kitchen was a good size with a cute table set of cherry wood meant for two people.   The cabinets were also made of cherry wood and had glass faces that revealed all the glassware and dishes already there for her.  There was a bathroom hidden behind the staircase in the living room that was small and meant for use of guests.  Upstairs, there was a large bedroom with a queen-sized bed and baby blue sheets set on it.  A polished wood mirror table was set against the wall between two windows.  A cute flower vase sat on top of it with a single yellow flower inside.  A dresser stood against the wall next to the door with a picture frame on top of it with a generic picture of the lake at night.  Down the hall, there was a spacious bathroom with a stand-up shower and bathtub in one.  The mirror opened up with two large shelves inside for toiletries and other necessities.  The bathroom had a small window that gave the neighbor a perfect view.  Stella frowned at that idea and thought of getting thicker curtains for the window.

Back downstairs in the kitchen, there was a door that lead into a sunroom that served as a perfect office and working space for Stella.   There would be plenty of light shining getting to the room when the weather cleared up and there was an oak wood desk and chair against the wall with a perfect view of the lake.  There was a tall floor lamp that gave off a soft, comfortable light and next to it was a short bookcase that was currently empty.  All in all, Stella felt she was going to like this place very much and it would provide a perfect escape for her.

"Thanks Auntie Melanie," Stella said gratefully, as if her great aunt would hear her from miles away.

Stella hung her back up on the rack of pegs next to the front door and rubbed her arms with her hands in attempt to warm up.  Crossing the room to the fire place, she turned the heat on and sat down on the comfortable futon couch.  All her feelings of emptiness and negativity seemed to be washing away and were being replaced by feelings of renewal and hope.  Perhaps this was a perfect place for her… She closed her eyes and let herself drift off in her sudden rush of revival.

_Intrigue_

Stella woke up and looked at her watch.  She had been asleep for an hour and the cabin was completely dark now.  Her white tank top was riding up and her jean skirt was in disarray.  She sat up and smooth out her clothing before going into the kitchen and turning the light on.  She took a tall glass out from the cabinet and took a long gulp of water to relieve her dry mouth. 

"Hm, what to do…"  Stella said quietly to herself. 

The rain had died down, but not enough to safely unpack her belongings.  She sighed and stepped into the sunroom.  The cabin next door's lights were on and she could see the faint outline of a tall frame moving about behind the closed curtains.  She couldn't help but feel curious about her new neighbor, but not enough to go and knock on the stranger's door.  She decided she'd take a shower and walked up the stairs sluggishly toward the bathroom. 

Hoping her neighbor wouldn't see, she undressed quickly and jumped into the shower as fast as she could.  She turned the faucet and let the warm water drip down her perfect figure.  She ran her hands through her wet hair and let the water run over her for a long time before shampooing and soaping herself.  She wrapped herself immediately the soft yellow bathrobe hanging on the back of the door and stepped out of the bathroom, regardless of the fact that she was still dripping with water. 

She stood in the sunroom for a moment when a loud knocking on her door startled her.  She jumped a little before composing herself and opening the door.  A handsome middle-aged man stood holding a black umbrella.  He had blonde hair with some of his natural brown peaking through that was brushed neatly and straight.  He had round glasses that framed his gorgeous brown eyes and he had a neatly trimmed mustache on his chin.  He wore a sporty navy blue jacket and faded jeans with white sneakers.  His skin was lightly tanned and looked smooth to the touch, but Stella avoided seeing for herself.  He had a friendly and attractive grin on.

"Hi," he said in his equally attractive voice.  "I saw you pulling in this afternoon and that I'd drop by and introduce myself."

Stella's face turned warm for a second at this man's attractiveness and the fact she was soaking wet in just a bathrobe.  "Well, you picked quite a great time to come by."  She laughed at herself for a second.

Her neighbor looked her up and down and laughed with her.  "Yeah, I must've."

"Well, I guess let's not put this introduction to waste.  I'm Stella Burnside," Stella said and extended her hand out.

The man reached out and clasped her hand firmly.  It was warm against Stella's, yet it made her skin crawl.  "Morton Rainey, but you can call me Mort."

_Mort, _Stella thought.  _Amy's… ex-husband…_

"It's nice to meet you," Stella said, purposely leaving out the information about Amy.

"And you, too," Mort said, releasing his grip on Stella's hand.

"How about you come in?" Stella asked, stepping aside to allow Mort in.

Mort just smiled and stepped inside.  Stella closed the door behind him and turned on the light to the living room.  Mort looked around curiously as he pulled his umbrella shut and Stella watched him.  She felt attracted to this man, but in a strange way.  She wasn't sure if it was a physical attraction or a curious kind of attraction.  She felt uncomfortable around him yet drawn to him. 

"This is a really nice place you have," Mort said and turned to her.

"Thanks.  I bought it off of my great aunt since she can't come here anymore because of a stroke she had recently and now she can't walk," Stella explained.  "But at least it didn't get sold or anything.  I really like it."

"I can see why and sorry about your aunt," Mort said with sympathy.

"Don't be, at least she's still alive," Stella said quickly and changed the subject.  "Your name seems really familiar to me, but I can't seem to make the connection…"

"You might have read one of my books, perhaps?"  Mort said, trying to help.

"Ah yes, you're a writer," she said knowingly.  "My cousin married a writer, but she passed away recently."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, my last relative in New York City.  Everyone else lives across the country, and I don't have enough money to make the move there," Stella explained.

"That's… that's really too bad," Mort said with a moment of hesitation.

"Yeah, it is.  But what can I do?"  Stella asked rhetorically and smiled faintly. 

"I understand where you're coming from."  Mort had a sympathetic look in his eyes and Stella felt her heart race a little.

"At least somebody does…"  Stella said with sigh.  Her eyes shifted to the wall clock above the fireplace and saw it was nine o'clock already.  "It's late, you should probably go."

Mort looked down at his own watch and looked startled at the time.  "Well, it is, isn't it?"

Stella just smiled politely.  "It was nice talking with you."

Mort just smiled.  "Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow?"

Stella had a bad feeling lurching at the pit of her stomach as if the invitation was dark and dangerous, but she ignored it.  Maybe she'd find out about Amy's death through Mort and maybe she'd learn a little more about this mystery man she was so strongly drawn to.  "Tomorrow sounds good."

Mort smiled again and left from where he came in.  Stella watched his shadowy figure leave and she decided to make herself a cup of tea before she went to bed.


	2. Chapter Two: Mort Rainey

**Author's Note: **Thanks so much for the comments guys! I appreciate anything really, lol. But enough of my blabbering, here's chapter two!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Johnny Depp as much as I wish I did and "Secret Window" is not my own idea; I don't own that either unfortunately. However, Stella Burnside is my creation. XP

Chapter Two

Mort Rainey

Stella woke up with the sun blazing through the room. She groaned from its blinding rays and reluctantly got up. She brushed her teeth with the toothbrush left behind by her aunt and did her best to pull out tangles from her messy hair with her hand. She changed back into her jean skirt and tank top, deciding on changing when she had all her things unpacked.

Making her way down the stairs, she put a scoop of hazel coffee into the coffee maker and waited for it to be made. As she did that, she stood in the warmth of the sunroom and saw Mort outside with his dog. It was a small beagle that was white with golden yellow patches. It was cute and petite. She smiled and walked out of the sunroom, hearing the click of the coffee maker switch. She absent-mindedly poured herself a cup of coffee and mixed cream and sugar in.

For some reason, it just didn't seem like a new start anymore. It was strange. She couldn't shake the feeling of the past creeping up behind her slowly. To get her mind off of things, she decided to step outside and explore for a bit. Maybe exchange a few words with Mort before moving her things in. She grabbed her car keys and left her cup of coffee on the counter; barely touch to get a breath of fresh air.

It was sunny and with a cool and comfortable breeze out. The breeze relaxed Stella's nerves and cleared her mind. The lake shimmered under the sunlight and she could hear the high pitched chirps of the birds in the tall pine trees. She couldn't help but smile to herself. Snapping back into gear, Stella approached her car and at times would snatch glances at Mort playing with his dog. She smiled again and unlocked the trunk.

The boxes were just as they were when she and Ben had packed them. They were the still dull cardboards boxes with bright yellow labels. She picked up one box and struggled to get it through the door. Stella grunted and forced the box through the door and took in a deep breath.

_Jesus Christ… _she thought as she wedged three magazines under the door to keep it opened. Once successful, she returned to her car and found Mort standing by it.

"Morning," he greeted with a charming smile.

Stella smiled back, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach. "Morning."

"Seems like you have a large load here, need any help?" Mort asked, looking into the trunk and back at Stella.

She couldn't help but examine him for a second while he asked his question. He wore a form fitting black shirt with a black blouse over it unbuttoned and a pair of dark jeans with his white sneakers. She snapped out of her trance and nodded. "I'd _really _appreciate that."

Mort just smiled and picked up a large box with ease and began to bring it into the house. Stella just watched his figure walk gracefully into the house with ease and she couldn't help but turn a little pink. Shaking off her childish feelings, she picked up another box and followed Mort into the house to place it down in the living room. Within in an hour and a half, they were finished hauling the boxes into the house. Stella felt relieved that she didn't have to do all that work, or else it would have taken her double the time.

"Thanks so much, again," Stella said gratefully to Mort.

He just shook his head. "It's no problem at all."

"Want some coffee?" she asked, heading towards the kitchen.

"That'd be great," Mort answered and followed her in. He took a seat casually at the two person cherry wood table.

"Cream and sugar?" Stella asked.

"Yes, please," Mort said.

She mixed in the cream and sugar, and as she did, she could feel Mort's eyes on her. It was uncomfortable, yet in the back of her mind she wanted more than anything for a man like Mort to be eyeing her in that manner. When she was done, she set the cup in front of Mort and sat down herself with her fresh cup of coffee.

"Thanks." Mort took a sip and smiled to let Stella know that it tasted fine.

"You have a cute dog," Stella said breaking the silence between them.

"Thanks, his name is Chico." Mort put his cup down, and directed his attention to Stella. His brown eyes were attentive and alluring.

"Cute name," Stella further commented. "I've never had a dog."

"They're great companions." Mort folded his hands on top of the table.

"So I've heard," Stella said, taking a quick sip from her coffee to relieve her nerves. Her hand was shaking and she set the cup down rather violently and loudly, startling Mort.

"God, I'm sorry about that," Stella said apologetically. "I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's all right." Mort smiled to assure Stella. "There's really no need to be nervous."

"I uh…" Stella said, losing herself for a moment. Could he really see through her _that _well? "I just… I suppose I don't have very honed people skills, or least lately I haven't."

"Why's that?" Mort's eyes seem understanding and Stella fell right into them.

"You see, I was on an investigation on the murder of… my good friend. The townspeople who knew her, wouldn't tell us anything about the murder… It was like they were completely shaken by whoever had done this," Stella explained. "I decided to take the investigation deeper since I was so determined to find out who the murderer was. I guess it was like revenge. But, with just my luck, the head of the case had closed the case with no reason at all and now I have no chance of ever finding out.

"I isolated myself for a while, disappointed and guilty that I couldn't do this one favor for my friend. That's when I decided to leave the bureau and sign a publishing contract to write. When my cousin died, I felt I had to leave New York City behind and come here to just get away." Stella tapped on her mug and looked into the pool of light brown coffee rather than Mort's eyes.

Mort didn't say anything, but his eyes said it all. Stella knew he could read the hidden sorrow in her eyes and that's why his eyes were full of such sympathy and they seemed so understanding.

"You really don't have to sympathize. I came here to get over it…" Stella said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Mort looked away for a moment and then added, "If I can do anything, let me know."

"Don't worry yourself, Mort," Stella said and got up. "I'd better get these things out of their boxes or else I'll never start living here."

"How about I help?" Mort got up quickly.

"No, it's really all right. I shouldn't bother you," Stella turned to the living room and disappeared.

She could hear Mort following her and he put a hand on her shoulder. She felt a hot sensation shoot through her and her face turn pink again. She froze for that moment, and there was silence.

"It's what friends do: help." Mort sounded sincere and trusting.

Stella just nodded slowly. "All right."

The two began unpacking all her belongings, and placed them in their respected locations. It took over three hours to get everything in place with a few breaks in between for a drink or two. They talked about writing and anything they could think of. Stella felt her coat of solitude wash away slowly as she got to know Mort. She wondered how Amy could ever divorce this man, but after Amy got married to Mort, she didn't hear of anything about them except for the divorce.

"_That's _over," Stella said a bit cheerily and collapsed on the futon.

Mort just smiled and sat in the armchair. "You sure are making yourself comfortable here."

Stella nodded. "Yeah, I guess I deserve it? No, it's more like… I _need _it."

"I see," Mort said knowingly.

Stella laughed at herself quietly. "But I really shouldn't be bothering you with my problems. It's more like… I should be asking questions about you."

Mort just chuckled. "I'd rather much get to know you."

Stella's face became warm for a moment and she laughed a little again. "There's not much to know about me… So tell me, how long have you been living here?" She sat up to face Mort.

"About a year or so," Mort answered. "I like it here."

"I can see why," Stella said with a small smile. "Anything new you've written?"

"I've been re-writing one of my older pieces. You must've heard of it:_ Secret Window_," Mort said.

Stella thought for a moment, and remembered reading it in a magazine. "Yeah, I remember that one. It's brilliant."

"I'm glad you think so," Mort said obviously flattered. "The ending… just didn't seem to satisfy me when I re-read it though, because you must know… the ending is the most important part."

Stella nodded in agreement. "Very true."

"I'm close to finishing, would you like to read it?" Mort invited.

"I'd love to," Stella said brightly.

Mort got up and smiled. "Let's get going then."

Stella got up and followed Mort out of her home and across to Mort's home. Chico slept in a dog bed on a chair and Mort lead Stella up to his desk that sat on a balcony like ledge that faced the living room. He opened up this laptop and the story was conveniently waiting there, as if he had planned it.

"Go ahead," Mort said and pulled the chair out for her to sit.

Stella hesitated a moment, feeling like the situation had been rehearsed by Mort some how. She tried to brush it aside, but even as she sat down and he pushed the chair in for her, she still felt a creeping sensation all over her. She shuddered in her mind and focused her attention to the story on the flashing screen. The story had begun just like the original; Stella had read it so many times it seemed she almost had it memorized. She continued to read, and was captured by Mort's words and energy in the story.

Stella finished the story within an hour, and felt completely breath-taken by it. She didn't favor the new ending as much, but it seemed to fit the story better than the old had. "That was… excellent. I really mean it."

Mort smiled in contentment. "I'm relieved; at first I thought you wouldn't like it."

Stella laughed, as if that was a joke. "Who wouldn't like your writing, Mort? It's amazing."

"Amy didn't," Mort muttered.

Stella froze at the name and looked down at her opened hands in her lap. "…Amy?"

"My ex-wife," Mort answered even more quietly, as if the word was a curse or sin to say at all.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Stella said quietly as well. "I didn't mean to bring up any kind of bitter memories or any—"

Mort just shook his head and signaled Stella with his hand to stop. "It's all right… I'm pretty much over it really." He smiled and that smile hid a feeling that Stella couldn't describe. Something as if he had taken care of his bitter feelings about the divorce in a dark and terrible way.

Stella got up, feeling uncomfortable. "I think it's time that I should go now."

"No, please stay. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable at all… It's just I was stating a fact to you that you should—" Mort tried to explain quickly in one breath.

"No really, I should go." Stella brushed passed Mort and down the stairs.

"Did I scare you, Stella?" Mort asked.

Stella froze, trying to contain the tension growing within her and the bad feeling at the pit of her stomach. "Why would you think that, Mort?"

"Just a thought… that's all." She could hear Mort's heavy footsteps coming down the wooden stairs.

His voice seemed dark and stronger all of a sudden, like one of those psychotic rapists who dominated over women by just speaking to them. She could hear his footsteps creeping closer and closer to her at a slow pace. She kept calm, but the lurching in her stomach wanted to make her hurl.

Stella turned quickly and was face to face with Mort. "There's nothing that you said that scared me. I just need to get home. Tidy up a bit, you know."

Mort pulled away quickly and nodded, as if he had just snapped out of a dark trance. "Yes… tidy up, that'd be a good idea. Good night, Stella."

Stella swallowed hard and faked a weak smile. " 'Night, Mort."

Turning slowly, she exited Mort's house, his dark voice echoing continuously in her head. She couldn't shake it off and she couldn't stop the memories of Mort's voice from returning to her as she showered, prepared dinner, or slept. She tossed and turned in bed, her gut was telling her that Mort was a potentially dangerous man, but at the same time her mind was drawn to him with a strong curiosity.

Moonlight washed over Stella's room and only the sound of the ruffling sheets could be heard. She kept tossing and turning, trying to fit pieces together. Nothing was coming together. Had Mort scared her? No, he just made her uncomfortable. That wasn't the same as scared was it? No, it just meant she couldn't be in there for very long. Maybe it'd all change the next day. Maybe she wouldn't encounter an episode like that again, or at least she hoped. The sudden change in Mort's attitude truly had surprised Stella, but not scared her. She was used to the type of people who could and would change their personality in a heart-beat voluntarily or involuntarily. Though the behavior just didn't seem to fit Mort… something just wasn't adding up. There was something missing… something about Mort that Stella didn't know. Like a dark secret that would unlock Mort's past.

These thoughts swam through Stella's head, as she finally settled on lying down on her back, staring up at the ceiling fan that spun around slowly and dully. Several times she tried to count its circular cycles in attempt to sleep, but failed miserably.

_Mort Rainey… Amy's ex-husband, _Stella thought. _He seems like a nice man… but… dark at the same time… Who are you really Mort Rainey?_


	3. Chapter Three: Images

**Author's Note: **Thanks again everyone for the reviews! I'm so glad you guys like this story so much! Umm… oh yes, I'm starting school in about two weeks (September 2), so when that date comes around I should be updating about every week or two weeks on Thursdays. Savvy? Now, to chapter three!

**Disclaimer: **I have only borrowed "Secret Window" and I only wished I owned Johnny Depp. Stella Burnside will still and forever be mine.

Chapter Three

Images

Stella woke up early that morning due to her lack of sleep. She didn't feel tired, but the traffic in her mind was stubborn and refused to cease. Changing out of her T-shirt and cotton shorts, she pulled on a long, black cotton dress that had spaghetti straps and slits that went up to her knees. She brushed her hair and teeth before pinning back her bangs with two bobby pins on each side to keep them out of her face.

Making her way down the stairs, the house was already filled with sunlight and was comfortable. She made herself a mug of coffee and a bagel with strawberry cream cheese. She sat in the sunroom and opened up her laptop to begin her first story. Plugging in earphones, she listened to music as she typed a few paragraphs and stopped to think. She looked across at the lake and saw Mort swimming shirtless in the water. The drops of water sparkled against his skin, and Stella couldn't help but think how beautiful he looked right then.

_Focus… focus… _Stella thought desperately, but she just couldn't help but allow her eyes to wander freely toward Mort and the lake. He swam so gracefully through the water. He sliced through it like it was inferior to him and his body in the sun and water just made Stella's skin tingle.

_Get a grip on yourself… remember how he was yesterday? Don't even think about going out there… DON'T GO OUT THERE… _Stella scolded herself mentally, but her will power was zilch at the moment and she found herself walking outside and standing a few feet away from the edge of the water.

"Hi!" Mort exclaimed, walking up the shore with the sun on him and water dripping down his well-built body.

"Hi," Stella said with a smile. "Nice swim?"

Mort nodded. "The water's nice. Why don't you join me?"

Stella shook her head vigorously. "I didn't pack anything for any kind of water activity, sorry to disappoint you."

"You didn't need to anyway," Mort said pulling her towards the water.

"What're you doing, Mort?!?" Stella shouted as she pulled herself away.

"C'mon, live a little." Mort scooped Stella into his arms and began to walk deeper and deeper into the water.

"Let me go, Mort!" Stella demanded, trying to fight Mort off.

Mort just grinned smugly and continued on deeper into the warm water. They went so deep; it seemed Mort had lost touch with the bottom of the lake. Stella felt nervous and wanted to break away immediately.

"Um… aren't we a little deep?" Stella asked, clearly nervous.

"Yeah…" Mort said. "Just stay close."

Stella could feel his strong arms around her waist pulling her closer to him. Her heart began to race and her face burn. His skin was warm and smooth against hers and she thought shamelessly about exploring his body more. She felt Mort knew this since he tried to hide a pleased smile even though he was horrible at it.

"Don't worry, I don't let you go," Mort assured.

"Er, I can't swim, Mort…" Stella admitted sheepishly.

"I guess that means you should stay a little closer." Mort pulled Stella against his chest and she felt her heart jolt and a hot sensation spread through her body.

"I think… I think we should go back now… I have a lot of work to do… and it can't wait…" Stella tried her hardest to make up a genuine excuse for Mort to swim her back, but none we were working effectively.

"Are you scared of drowning?" Mort asked, smiling slyly.

Stella swallowed hard. "A little…"

"Alright." He seemed understanding and began to swim them back to the shore.

Stella tried to squeeze the water out of her dress and Mort just watched her. From the corner of her eye, she could see him eyeing her calves and thighs and her heart raced.

_Just calm down… it's normal… he's a man… it's all normal… _Stella thought. She felt like an adolescent teen who would get giddy over a guy staring at her from across the room. She tried to snap out of that trance, but could only shake off a little bit of the feeling.

"How about we get dried off?" Mort offered seeing that Stella was having trouble squeezing all the water out of her dress.

"That'd be nice," Stella answered with a smile.

She followed Mort into his home for the second time and found it homier during the day. Mort walked off to get towels and dry clothes. She looked around and it seemed Mort had his life completely under control and organized. How could she have possibly felt he was potential danger? Maybe she was just imagining it all last night. Stella just smiled to herself like she had made a stupid mistake and got over her fright of Mort by just standing in the heart of his sun filled living room. She paced around for a few minutes while Mort was gone and looked into an interesting looking mirror that hung over the fireplace. It was tall and its frame looked like a bunch of small antlers. Stella looked into the mirror and felt a weird chilling sensation sweep over her.

_I don't understand… _Stella thought.

She kept staring into the mirror and behind her she saw an image of a middle-aged man wearing a plain black outfit and black hat. He held a shovel in both his hands and seemed to be creeping more and more slowly towards her. When he got the closest he could get, Stella's image changed to Amy's and the man with the shovel and hat was just about to hit Amy over the head with the shovel when Stella gasped and turned around. Mort stood there, holding two towels and an oversized T-shirt.

"You okay?" Mort asked, walking towards her. "It looks like you've seen a ghost or something."

Stella shook her head. "No I'm fine…"

"Here." Mort handed her a towel and the T-shirt. "I can dry your dress for you, and the bathroom is up there."

"Thanks." Stella brushed passed Mort and through the door that Mort had directed her to.

When she opened it, she realized the bathroom was in his room. She felt a bit uncomfortable about being in the room of the man she was attracted to. She stepped inside and looked around. The window allowed a fair amount of light into the room and illuminated the hunter green wallpaper and brought little details to her eyes; details like how neatly the room was arranged and how neatly kept it was.

_At least it seems he has himself organized, _Stella thought, brushing her fingertips over the furniture. She sat on his bed and forgot the fact that she was soaking wet. She felt at peace for a moment until she realized she was sitting on an uncomfortable lump. She reached under the blanket and found a black hat… the same black hat that man in the mirror was wearing.

"Stella?" she could hear Mort ask as his heavy footsteps could be heard. The door opened and Mort had a puzzle look on his face. Stella hid the hat quickly behind her back before Mort could look at her.

"Uh, I… I'm really sorry," Stella stuttered, clutching the hat.

"No, it's all right." Mort hid an amused smile.

Stella frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing… nothing at all." Mort just smiled again and left Stella.

Stella sighed and stuffed the hat back under the blanket. She turned quickly and went into the bathroom before she could do anything else stupid. She stood in front of the mirror, with her hands gripped the sides of the sink. Her heart was pounding and her head was spinning.

_What… what was that? _Stella thought. _The mirror… the hat… _

Was that how Amy got killed? Was _that _her killer? Shaking her head several times, Stella tried to convince herself that she was just seeing things because of Amy's murder. But that hat… Mort? No, it couldn't be. It couldn't be at all. She shook her head violently. She swallowed hard and began to dry herself off. Pulling the T-shirt over her head that went down passed her knees; she carried her soaking dress out and went down the stairs.

Mort sat on the couch, already in his dry clothes. He looked at her and just smiled. Taking the wet dress, he went off again and Stella tried to avoid looking in the mirror. She took quick glances at it, but refused to look in it for very long. Sitting on the couch, she tried to gather her thoughts. She pressed the palm of her hands against her eyes and wondered why she had seen what she had seen.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mort asked, appearing above her when she removed her palms from her eyes.

Looking straight up at him into his eyes, she answered, "Perfectly okay."

Mort just nodded and didn't move at all. "What are you _really _afraid of?"

"Hm," Stella said pensively. "I guess it's any kind of attachment."

"Attachment?"

"Yeah, attachment," Stella repeated. "You know, how people come so attached to others that if they lose them, they could never function again or, how people constantly need other people by them to feel safe or to keep going in life… that kind of attachment."

"Ah, I see." Mort looked like he was thinking deeply for a moment before returning to the conversation.

"What about you, Mort? What do _you _fear most?" Stella asked, trying to sound daring, but couldn't.

"Betrayal." There was a bitter look in Mort's eyes that Stella had never seen in any person before. "When people you love turn their backs on you or when even… even yourself. Even when you turn your back against yourself."

Stella swallowed hard and added quietly, "I hope you don't take that from experience…"

"I have." Mort just smiled to himself like it was an easy sweep-it-aside thing. "I'm mostly over it anyway."

He had that same smile he had on just last night, and Stella's skin crawled with a prickly feeling. The smile soon vanished and he looked like himself again and the prickly feeling had disappeared. She sighed in her head and just watched Mort's eyes reading hers.

"Why do you fear attachment?" Mort asked finally, still not moving.

"I don't want to hurt," Stella admitted. "I made the mistake of attaching myself to one person and I've regretted it ever since. Sure, people will have to hurt once and a while, but the hurt of losing someone you've loved for so long is the greatest kind of pain… I learned that the hard way. I don't want to do it again."

"What about your romantic relationships?"

Stella felt uncomfortable, she didn't want to talk to a man that she was attracted to about her romantic relationships. It would seem odd. Not like Stella had many, but it only seemed polite to answer him. It seemed like if she didn't tell him, she'd feel bad after like lying to a child. "I haven't really had many, I'll admit, but they weren't very good anyway. Another thing I learned the hard way."

"What happened… if you don't mind me asking?" Mort's eyes were anticipating these stories and Stella couldn't manage to deprive him of them.

"They all lied to me and that's it," Stella said. "To make a long story short, that's how it was."

"Any man who would do that would probably be the most stupid."

"Thanks for the flattery, Mort, but you don't have to comfort me… I'm over it, too," Stella said quietly.

"I'm being honest!"

Stella could read it in his eyes, but she didn't want to believe it. All men who had her donned her unworthy and lied their way out of the relationship. Maybe she had picked the wrong men, but if that the case, it was her mistake anyway.

"C'mon, you _have _to believe me."

Mort's eyes were a bit pleading but still held that hint of genuine honesty that Stella couldn't avoid falling for. His face was coming in closer and closer… until Stella put a finger on Mort's lips.

"This isn't right," Stella said quietly.

Mort's hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her hand away. "Why not?"

"I don't know, I just feel it," Stella answered.

Mort just nodded and pulled away. He didn't seem disappointed, nor did Stella. He announced that her dress was dry when the muffled sound of the dryer finishing went off and left to go retrieve it. Stella couldn't believe that at that moment, she didn't feel nervous at all when Mort was so close. Maybe it meant something. She looked down at her hands and clenched them into fists.

Mort returned shortly with Stella's dress and Stella went back to the bathroom to change into her dress. She changed quickly and returned the T-shirt to Mort when she came down.

"Thanks again," Stella said gratefully as Mort lead her to the door.

"Don't mention it," Mort said.

They stood face to face for moment as Stella stood outside and Mort in the doorway. There was a moment of understanding and connection between them as they just stood there, looking at each other and speaking through the silence.

"Well, I'd better go. See you around." Stella waved and began to walk towards her house.

"Stella!" Mort shouted after her.

Stella turned around and looked at Mort with a puzzled expression. "Yes?"

"Do you… do you want to have dinner with me tomorrow night? Just at my house?" Mort asked.

Stella didn't ponder on the question at all and immediately answered, "I'd like that."

Mort smiled, showing his clean white teeth and disappeared into his house. Stella just smiled to herself and walked back to her house. She sat in the sunroom with her laptop on the cursor blinking at her. She couldn't concentrate at all. The only thing on her mind was Mort. All her dark feelings about him before at washed away and now she was purely attracted to this man. Sighing, she shook her head and tried her hardest to concentrate on her story even though her mind would drift back and forth to Mort.

_Intrigue_

After three hours of staring into the laptop screen, Stella managed to type only a few lines in a paragraph and she called it a day. She took a shower and prepared a small dinner of Caesar salad and garlic bread. While she ate, she thought of Mort without guilt.

_Seems like everything's… going to be all right, _Stella admitted to herself almost reluctantly.

Finishing her dinner, she washed the dishes in a daze and went up to her room. She read for an hour in attempt to get herself to sleep, but that didn't work. She continued to read, but it still didn't work.

"God…" Stella said as she got out of bed and went down the stairs to make herself a cup of tea.

She lifted the teabag up and down lazily as she went up the stairs to her room. She put the cup of tea down on her nightstand by her bed and before she returned to reading, she noticed the small vase on the mirror table had fallen down.

Stella sighed and went to pick it up. Setting it down, she looked at herself in the mirror and thought back to the mirror in Mort's house. The familiar chill ran through her and she tried to turn away, but couldn't. Her image in the mirror was beginning to distort and change into Amy's again. This time, Amy was pounding against the mirror and screaming, but nothing was coming out of her mouth. Stella could see the same man with the black hat advancing towards with the shovel.

_Look away! _Stella forced herself and she did. Opening her eyes, she looked into the mirror and saw nothing was there anymore. Putting a hand on her forehead, Stella breathed in and out heavily.

_Again… but why?_Stella thought. She put the vase quickly back onto the table and forgot her tea as she turned the light off to sleep.

All night, Stella slept with her back to the mirror. What did it all mean? It seemed she would keep getting haunted by these images every time she looking in the mirror. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she tried to sleep and eventually did even though she had drifted into a disturbing dream…

_Intrigue_

_Stella stood in a room with these images surrounding her and flashing before her. The image she saw in the mirror with Amy was playing on one side and the other images were of the man with the black hat attacking other people she didn't recognize. As these images flashed before her, a voice with a southern accent spoke, repeating the same line over and over again._

_"You stole my story…"_

_"You stole my story…"_

_"You stole my story…"_

_Stella's head spun at the sight of these images. People were being brutally murdered by this strange man. She closed her eyes, and opened them again to find that the images were still there._

_"Stop!"__ Stella shouted. She didn't want to see Amy. She didn't want to see any of this._

_"You stole my story…"_

_"You stole my story…"_

_"You stole my story…"_

_The man with the hat came out of one of the images with a screwdriver in his hand. He was advancing towards Stella with a stoic expression on his face. The screwdriver was already coated in someone else's blood and thirsted for more…_

_"Just… STOP!" Stella screamed._


	4. Chapter Four: The Journal

**Author's Note: **I know that I promised to try and update every Thursday, but it's been really hard with high school starting and I'm taking all honor course this year. I only have one more chapter to put up that I've edited it… so the other couple of chapters that are already typed and are awaiting editing haven't been format changed… And I think I'll be in a hiatus on this because of that plus school. But I really appreciate all the input on this! I LOVE MY READERS!!!! 3 (I'll try my hardest to update!!!)

**Disclaimer: **Again, "Secret Window" was NOT my idea and I'm merely borrowing the too-to-handle Johnny Depp's character, BUT Stella Burnside is my too-hot-to-handle gal. .

Chapter Four

The Journal

Stella woke up, sweat trickling down her face. Her heart was racing, and her body felt like it didn't have the strength to sit up. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to move and go into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and brushed her teeth, avoiding the mirror.

_It was just a dream… It was just a dream… _Stella constantly told herself as she finished brushing her teeth and changed into a pair of jeans and a yellow tank top.

It was ten o'clock and she could see Mort working in his garden. Resisting the urge to go see him, she sat down and concentrated on her story. The cursor blinked on the blank page and kept Stella in a daze. Her eyes didn't wander, though they wanted to. The remnants of her dreams were still haunting her and directing her attention to everything, but what she needed to get done.

_This ISN'T going to work, _Stella thought and stormed out of the sunroom.

She stood in her living room, contemplating whether she wanted to go out the door or just sit in her living room to read a magazine. The choice was tough. She knew Mort was just outside, working in his garden. She could imagine the sun against his skin like yesterday at the lake and his charming smile that made her heart melt. Then again, she knew that sitting and reading a magazine would help her get her mind off of everything temporarily until she could work again.

_God… _Stella thought, trying hard not to make her brain explode.

"Just do what you want…" she said in defeat and found herself walking out the door casually to Mort's garden.

"Hey there," she greeted.

Mort looked up from the dirt he was digging, and smiled. "Hey."

"Nice garden, really quaint," Stella commented. She looked from the cute little groups of yellow flowers to the empty corn seed packages by Mort's feet. She wondered for a split second about the contrast in plants, but pushed the thought aside.

"Yeah, it is nice," Mort answered with a smile of satisfaction. His expression changed to one of sudden realization. "Well, you know about that dinner tonight?"

"Yeah?" Stella asked.

"I have to cancel… I have a deadline to meet and I'm going to need the rest of day and tonight to finish editing," Mort explained.

Stella felt her heart drop slightly, but didn't make it obvious. "Oh, I see. Well, that's fine. I understand completely that your work comes first, that should definitely be the case."

"I'm so glad you do," Mort said in relief. "For a second I'd thought you'd get angry at me."

Stella smiled as if it was something silly a child would say. "Why would I be mad?"

Mort just laughed. "Yeah, that's a good question."

"I'll just be on my way home then, so I won't bother you any further. Good luck with your work." Stella waved quickly and left before Mort could answer her. She sat down in the sunroom, and with a clear mind, she began to type again. The remaining pieces of her dream were slowly fading away as she got further and further into her story.

_Intrigue_

After successfully working for hours straight, Stella sighed and paced around the house several times to try and forget the weird things that had been happening. Her ideas had run out and now her mind was drifting back to the events of past days. She ran her hand through her hair several times and stopped in the sunroom. She looked across to Mort's house and saw the lights on.

_What is it about you, Mort? _Stella asked herself. She shook her head, almost in shame, and sat down at the desk. The cursor blinked in front of her, as always. She looked over at her small bookshelf and took a long look. After a careful and long examination, she found one book with no title on the spine. Taking it out, realization hit her. She gently traced the gold letters on the cover of the dark red journal and it spelled out: Amy Rainey. There was a pang of sadness when she traced those letters and forced herself to open the journal, as if it were her only escape from the sadness.

After Amy was officially announced dead, her belongings were dispersed and the journal ended up with her. Everything else seemed to just avoid her, but the journal. Stella had it for months, but she ignored it most of the time and never thought of it until now.

She opened up the journal, and recognized Amy's neat handwriting that she used to see from the various holiday cards and postcards she sent to Stella. Brushing her hand over the page, Stella felt another pang. Trying to ignore this one, she went onto read the first entry:

_Yes, Mort has bought me this handsome journal for my birthday along with a stunning 14 karat gold necklace with an equally stunning heart pendant of diamond… Sure, I appreciate it all. I appreciate the fact that he cares to waste his money on these materialistic items for me, rather than spare a minute to actually be MORT. No, I'm lying. I don't actually._

_I just… wished that Mort would be Mort again; the man I fell in love with and married. That moment when we exchanged vows, I felt I was going to grow old with this man and have his children. Those little things… well they just disappeared after the baby died and Mort changed. He got so… serious about his writing. I just can't see the real Mort anymore._

_I'm staring at someone who I barely know now. Someone… I don't want to know. Someone I don't want to be married to anymore… God, I wish he could see this… If only he could see what he's doing to me… to us… hell, to everything._

Stella felt her heart sink. That was why Amy divorced Mort, but Stella was having trouble believing Amy's words. Mort was such a nice man… so honest, so real. Sometimes, his perfection almost scared her, but nonetheless, he had that hint of perfection.

"Oh Amy…" Stella whispered, turning the page to a new entry:

_Today… I met the most amazing man in my life. I couldn't believe I found myself completely attached to him. It was as if I had forgotten Mort completely… and I didn't feel a bit guilty. His name is Ted. I met him at work and it was such a relief to know that I found someone else. I had this feeling that I'd eventually leave Mort and our relationship would end._

_I'm going to meet Ted tomorrow for lunch, and hope to break the news slowly to Mort. I think he doesn't realize that we've been "over" for some time. He's so caught up in his work and I can never get through to him. We don't communicate as much anymore and it feels as if I've lost him somewhere…_

_Ted? _Stella thought. She never heard of Ted from Amy… ever. Amy never mentioned him in letters, phone calls, or holiday cards. It never occurred to her that Amy and Mort would divorce because Amy found someone new. She knew that Amy eventually found a new boyfriend, but she never knew it was during her marriage with Mort. How could she give up Mort like that?

_This is horrible. I never expected this to happen… it was like a movie, probably EXACTLY like a movie. Mort caught me and Ted in bed together… I don't know how he ever found out. I guess it was those __Tashmore__Lake__ bastards. They like Mort too much for their own good._

_Now, it's come down to divorce. I have no other choice. I don't want to be with Mort anymore, I can't stand being in this marriage for another second. It kills me really. With Ted, it's different. He's so honest, kind, and sweet. I can sense all of it from him in complete sincerity. I just can't feel that with Mort… at least not anymore. _

_Would things have been different if the baby didn't die…?_

Stella could barely describe how she was feeling. Everything was coming together in pieces before her. She didn't want to see the final outcome of the puzzle, but she couldn't help herself with her growing curiosity. This was the life Amy was hiding from her for years. Years of torment and unhappiness that Stella would never have imagined from the life that Amy lead.

The phone rang just at that moment and Stella jumped a little. She composed herself and went to pick up the white cordless phone hanging on the wall by the kitchen doorway.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hey Stella, it's Mort," the weary voice on the other line greeted.

"Hey Mort, you sound tired? Is everything alright?" Stella went to sit in the sunroom, her finger marking the spot where she left off in Amy's journal.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been working so much and I guess the past sleepless nights are catching up to me now."

Stella laughed a little. "I see. So why did you call so suddenly?"

"I just wanted to apologize for canceling so suddenly on our dinner. I really didn't mean it. I feel bad about it."

"No, it's alright, Mort." Stella sounded assuring and cool about it. "You shouldn't feel bad at all. I understood completely, remember?"

Mort laughed at himself from the other line. "Yeah, I do. But to make it up maybe we can go for dinner again? I know this really nice beach New London we can go to."

"That'd be nice. When do you want to go?"

"How about… the day after tomorrow? I still have some work to finish and it might take me another day."

"That's fine." Stella shifted in her seat a little. "What time?"

"I'll come pick you up."

"Okay, then. I guess you should get back to work?"

"Yeah…" Mort sounded a bit reluctant to hang up. "I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, I'll see you soon." Stella hung up and returned her attention to the last journal entry that was dated the day of Amy's alleged murder.

_I just can't take this anymore. I want this divorce to be official. _

_Mort moved out to our cabin, well his cabin now, at __Tashmore__Lake__ and just doesn't seem to want to talk. I want this divorce shit to be over with now… I won't take anymore of Mort's procrastination on this. He can't be bitter about the past for this long… it's not… it's not human! _

_I can understand that he's angry with me, but I'm trying to make this as painless and simple as possible so we can forget and maybe forgive. Forgiveness probably isn't an option, but I can at least try._

_That's it, I'm going over there. I'm forcing a pen into Mort's hand and making him sign these papers. I don't care what he says or whatever excuses he uses, this is the end and I'm drawing the line now. _

Stella stared at the last journal entry and sighed. She tossed the journal on her desk and looked out the window at the lake. It seemed much eerier at night and gave Stella the chills. She shuddered and closed her eyes for ten minutes. A soft knock on the window awoke her from her daze and she caught a glimpse of a wide-brimmed, black hat.

_That hat from… Mort's room, _Stella thought, a chill running through her. She got up quickly and turned the lights off in the sunroom, not planning to go back for the rest of the night. She took a quick shower, avoiding looking out the windows or looking into any mirrors. She lay in bed, her back away from the mirror and the window.

_This is too weird… _Stella thought, closing her eyes tightly. She tried to sleep, but couldn't seemed to focus her attention on it.

_Intrigue_

Mort awoke on his couch and sat up slowly. His appearance gave the idea that he hadn't been asleep at all, not even for a brief moment. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes before putting them back on.

"Why'd you go there?" Mort asked out loud, staring at what to other people would be an empty corner of the living room, but to Mort there was another man; a man wearing a black suit jacket with jeans and a wide-brimmed black hat.

"She's going to ruin our ending," the man replied with a southern accent.

"How? No one knows," Mort said with a bit of agitation in his voice.

"Oh, she'll know. She's a smart one, and I saw her… I saw her reading Amy's journal. I reckon she'll find out." The man moved from the corner of the room to in front of the fireplace.

"Just calm down, Shooter." Mort got up and headed for the stairs, not picking up the detail about Amy's journal.

"She'll ruin it. I swear it." Shooter followed him up the stairs and to Mort's desk. "You know she will."

Mort turned to Shooter, a stern look fixed on his face. "Look, Stella knows nothing. I didn't say anything about what happened, I didn't tell her about my past experiences with Amy, and I bet that she doesn't even know who the hell Amy is. No one will know Amy anymore, and that's the end of this conversation."

Mort turned his back on Shooter, and didn't hear another word from him. He removed the black hat from his head with no recollection of putting it on and tossed it on the armchair a few feet away from his desk. He never knew when he put the hat on or how, but he always knew it was there.

"You don't know anything, Shooter," Mort muttered. He entered his room and looked back at the black hat sitting on the armchair. He felt tempted to find out for himself if Stella was remotely close to revealing his secret, but he caught himself before he move another inch and closed his room door instead.

Lying on his bed, he stared blankly at the ceiling. The suspicion of Stella knowing was in the farthest regions of his mind and his top priority was how he would put it, winning Stella over. He tortured him from time to time to just watch her from a hidden window in his house. He had the chance, and he knew it, but he wasn't taking it. He tried to convince himself that he was no longer afraid of betrayal now that Amy had been taken care of, but small reminisce of that day would come back to him and make him feel that fear all over again.

"She's just a memory now, remember," Mort whispered to himself and closed his eyes.

_Intrigue_

Everything seemed clearer in the morning, including Stella's mind. She tried to brush aside the thoughts from the previous night, and was half successful in it. She was able to get through the morning without wandering off into her wasteland of thoughts and assumptions.

While she worked on her story, she found herself taking quick glances back at the journal and wanting to read it over three times and take each entry apart piece by piece just like she had in the bureau with a piece of evidence. The urge to go deeper into Amy and Mort's story were growing as time passed and as Stella stared at the blinking cursor more frequently.

_No, it's all over. You won't be able to figure out who had killed Amy and why. The case was closed for a reason that was probably beyond your own understanding, _Stella thought degradingly in attempt to make herself give up and go back to the present.

It never worked though. She constantly told herself degrading things during the day and none of them worked. The urge to dig deeper swelled until Stella thought she couldn't take it anymore. She got up quickly and picked up the phone. She dialed the number to the bureau and Ben's extension number by heart.

"Hello?" Ben's familiar voice asked.

"Hey, Ben, it's Stella," Stella said quickly.

"Hey, Stell. What can I do for you?" Ben asked.

"Listen; can you do me a favor?" Stella asked. "It's important."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I need you to look up information about a man named Morton Rainey… anything you can find, please," Stella answered.

"Just a sec." There was a faint clicking noise in the background coming from the keyboard and it stopped briefly.

"Well?" Stella asked, a bit impatiently.

"Hey, this is the famous author… but anyway, there's absolutely nothing. He's basically got a clean profile except for a case where he was accused of plagiarism, but the accusation was proved false after the trial."

"Okay, thanks so much, Ben," Stella said gratefully.

"Why do you need this information anyway?"

"Nothing important," Stella said quickly. "I'll talk to you later."

Stella hung up the phone and sat down at the kitchen table. She thought hard and long before returning to her work. She thought of where to start first, who she would ask, and what kind of leads she needed. Amy's journal was part of the start, but to complete it, she needed someone who knew Mort. The hat in his room being the same one in her dreams and window was too coincidental for her to let go so easily. Everything was connecting weakly, but with enough poking around, Stella knew she'd get to the bottom of it. Whether it was Mort or some psycho, she knew she had to get to the bottom of it.


End file.
